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The EOS 6D Mark II adds a more affordable full-frame model to the Canon EOS range. We take a look at the camera and some of its features and see how it compares to its predecessor as well as the EOS 5D Mark IV.

Overview: Canon have become one of the leading developers of imaging technology since their humble origins as an optics manufacturer in 1933. They now boast a class leading range of cameras, lenses and accessories that are used by amateurs and professionals the world over. If you are looking to dip your toe into the world of photography, or you are interested in upgrading, then this manual has a wealth of information on the range available, to help you make a better informed choice as to what is right for you.

Get informedThe range of digital cameras, lenses and accessories available is huge and can be confusing. This can often put a lot of people off. We’ve compiled a guide that is designed to introduce you to the Canon range and break it down into sections that outline the main camera and lens types with at a glance specifications to help.
Essential camera craftOur illustrated and easy to follow guides can help you hone your camera craft. Understand your camera’s capabilities better and learn more about aperture, shutter speed, ISO settings and metering. We also have a multitude of hints and tips on a varied number of subjects, to really get you inspired; and then go out and take better photos.
Creative photography projectsDo you want to learn how to photograph your pets, or understand more about flash lighting and portrait photography? We’ve got everything you need in our comprehensive creative photography section that covers a wide range of topics. Our guides have been compiled by professional photographers and can take you beyond what you thought possible.
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Play the angles and get the big picture with an ultra-wide zoom lens.
With zoom ranges starting at just 8mm for APS-C format lenses, and 11mm for full-frame, you can shoehorn vast areas into the image frame. They’re great for shooting sweeping landscapes or architecture, and arguably even more useful when shooting indoors, where space is limited – but that’s just the start of the fun.

A key attraction of ultra-wide lenses is that you can create images with extraordinary perspective effects. Get in close to the main subject in a scene and you can massively exaggerate its relative size, against a shrunken, receding background. Parallel lines appear to converge at alarming rates and shots generally have a proper wow factor. Another bonus is that short focal lengths equate to huge depths of feld. Unlike portraiture, where it’s often favourable to blur the background, wide-angle lenses enable you to keep very close subjects and the distant horizon simultaneously sharp.

Barrel distortion can also add to the creative effect, especially when using wide-angle zooms at or near their shortest focal length. That said, all of the lenses in this test group are ‘rectilinear’, aiming to keep distortions to a minimum. The alternative is a fsheye or ‘curvilinear’ lens, which give even greater viewing angles but with more barrel distortion.

Super-size your telephoto reach with a monster zoom lens. Matthew Richards searches out the best buys for your Canon camera.

Sometimes a standard telephoto lens can simply come up short. A typical 70-300mm zoom can lack sufficient telescopic reach when you’re shooting anything from birds in the garden to animals in the wild, or from sporting events to air shows. For greater reach, you’ll need a longer lens with more pulling power.

Over the next few pages, we’ll compare all of the latest super-telephoto zoom lenses currently manufactured to fit Canon DSLRs. Sizes go from large to enormous, and there’s an even broader spread of prices. However, all of them stretch to a focal length of at least 400mm, and some go extra-long to as much as 600mm. They’re also all fully compatible with both full-frame and APS-C format camera bodies. The latter gives a 1.6x crop factor, further boosting the effective telephoto reach.

A perennial problem, when shooting at such long focal lengths, is camera-shake. It’s therefore no surprise that every current super-telephoto zoom lens on the market for Canon cameras has optical image stabilization built in. They also feature fast and whisper-quiet ring-type ultrasonic autofocus systems. Even so, when it comes to additional features and build quality, there are major differences between some of the lenses on test. Let’s take a closer look…

Dutch-Ecuadorian photographer Cris Toala Olivares is one of the new breed of young photographers carving out an eclectic career. He is fascinated by natural phenomena and engineered natural wonders, which he documents from helicopters and with drones as well as from the ground. His comprehensive work on volcanic eruptions, the Wadden Sea and Amsterdam’s canal belt speak to the beauty of working every angle. But as Cris explains to CPN Web Editor Deniz Dirim, to reach new heights you need to be business-savvy first…